Flickr Turns 4: This Is My God

Flickr Turns 4: This Is My God
Originally uploaded by lorenzodom

This Is My God

I was lying in the kiddy pool on my back, admiring the deep blue sky, when I lifted this ball before me, and, immediately, I had my epiphany—perhaps, one of the greatest I have ever had.

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An hour later, Enzo, my oldest son, asks me, "Papa, if you could have three super powers, what would they be?"

It took all but a mere moment for me to realize my answer. "Well, first I would want the power to always by happy. Second, I would like the power to make others happy, especially those that are seemingly often angry, sad or otherwise discontent."

Alas, when I got stuck on thinking of a third superpower, Enzo interrupted me and blurted, "No Papa! Those aren’t super powers! you have to want powers like 'flying,' 'becoming invisible,' 'shooting fire,' or 'super-human strength'…"

“Oh,” I answered, “I guess I don’t know then,” and lied back again to soak in the sun that was shimmering upon the water, for I had decided that in the pursuit of both sanity and serenity, I was not going to begin a deep philosophical discussion with my six year old—not because he would not fathom its murky depths, but primarily because I knew he would likely take too avid of an interest and interminably ask "Why?" at every turn.

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And it is not until now, upon this epistolary reflection, that I see that the raising of my deity and my response to my son’s hypothetical inquiry were in fact, indeed, connected.

Because, as I have surmised before, I do believe (indubitably I do) that a strong current of optimism runs through me—one that empowers me to believe in self-actualization, the fearsome force of the individual will, and the belief that there is a little good in almost everyone and everything. Moreover, if not more importantly, it is both my belief and my will to share this positive energy with others, if only to alight much the same power in them.

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Story and photo originally posted August 5, 2005